[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 124 (Thursday, September 26, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1669-E1670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO CAMPBELL'S FLOWERS AND GREENHOUSES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2002

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a family 
company that has become a hallmark of civic virtue and quality through 
many years of service to their community. Campbell's Flowers and 
Greenhouses has been an integral part of community life in Pueblo, 
Colorado, for nearly a century and it is with pleasure I honor them 
today.
  German immigrant Gerhard Fleischer founded Campbell's Flowers in the 
early 1900s

[[Page E1670]]

under its original name, Fleischer's House of Flowers. His son, Wally, 
helped his father grow the business and moved it to its current 
location. But developing a business and selling flowers was not their 
only priority; they also helped cultivate a community. Gerhard planned 
many of the city's parks and Wally helped establish garden clubs, 
worked with city crews to landscape, and played Santa Claus amusing the 
local children at Christmas.
  In 1958, the Fleischers sold the flower shop to Fred and Jim Campbell 
who changed the name, and the company continued to grow with the 
community it served. When current owner Gary and Kathy Stanifer 
purchased Campbell's Flowers along with partners in 1978, they kept the 
name and commitment to the community that came with it. By that time, 
Campbell's Flowers had already rooted itself deep into the economy and 
culture of Pueblo, and continues to stand out as mark of quality and 
excellence in the floral industry.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor this company before this body of 
Congress and our Nation. Campbell's Flowers and Greenhouses and the 
hardworking, progressive men and women who have made it what it is 
today, stand as beacons of American spirit and industry. They are an 
example to us all and worthy of our praise.

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